


Freeing Gabriel

by crushing83



Series: Snippets and Prompts [5]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Archangel Gabriel (Supernatural), Gabriel (Supernatural) Lives, Gabriel Lives, Gen, If You Squint - Freeform, Rescue, Season/Series 13 Spoilers, Snippet, sam and dean to the rescue, slight sabriel, workday ficlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 00:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13670889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crushing83/pseuds/crushing83
Summary: Sam and Dean rescue Gabriel (because it must happen).





	Freeing Gabriel

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick ficlet I wrote while at work. I've been thinking about a longer story including a moment like this, but for now... this is all I've got.

The window opened and shut so quickly that Gabriel thought he was hallucinating. He was sure his mind had conjured the sight of Heckle and Jeckle and... and... he was finally losing what remained of his marbles. He would be nothing but a shapeable shell, aimless grace that his jailer could point as a weapon, and the worlds' end would be his fault. 

When the door opened, he braced himself for the sharper stench of demon and a fresh burst of pain, so the gentle hand on the side of his face was an event for which he hadn't prepared. 

"Oh, god, Gabe---Gabriel." 

The whispered words were soft, like the slide of the palm against his jaw. The kiss to his forehead that followed was a sweet, sweet surprise, a bit of tenderness in all the brutality he'd endured. 

He was definitely cracking up. 

"Can you open your eyes, Gabriel?" 

When he shook his head, he heard a soft huffing sound, somewhere between a sigh and a laugh. "C'mon. I need you to open your eyes," the voice of his delicious delusion said. "I know what it's like. I know how hard it is to see what's real. But, believe me, we're real, and Cas is waiting outside." 

If he could talk, he might've said anything from _Why did it have to be you two?_ to _What took you so long?_ , but his lips were still sealed and he was beyond quippy banter. Hope was pressing a sickeningly emotional lump into his throat. Fully aware that he could open his eyes and be treated to another trick from Asmodeus, Gabriel had to shore up his heart behind the last of his barriers. 

He opened his eyes---part of him was okay with the lie, if it were a lie, if it gave him a few moments of anything resembling joy---and looked directly into one of the saddest version of the prettiest eyes he'd ever seen. 

Sam. 

He smelled like skin and sweat and beer and blood. His soul had more veins than it did before, but it still shone the way it did when they first crossed paths. He'd know that glow anywhere---it had been one half of what set him on his course of action against his brothers, after all. 

_Samshine._

He sobbed, but the sound was lost behind the seam sewn into his lips. Sam's hand smoothed down to the base of his neck before moving to his shoulder. 

"We are going to get you out of here," Sam said, his voice still quiet but firmer. "What wards do I need to paint over?" 

Gabriel raised a finger and slowly unfolded his body. Sam stood with him, knees cracking, and he made sure to keep a gentle hold on Gabriel until he seemed steadier. When Gabriel walked to the walls, he pointed to two sigils that had the symbols for grace in their designs; as soon as Sam spray painted over them, Gabriel could feel his power again. It was weak but it was _there_. 

He summoned as much of it as he could and thrust his hands out at the walls. His concrete prison cracked, spidery lines traveling through the designs, and the wards were rendered useless. 

"Yeah, okay, they're gonna notice that," Dean said from the doorway. He peeked into the room. "You guys good to go?" he asked as his eyes landed on Gabriel. "Hey---" 

The instant Gabriel saw Dean's eyes widen, Gabriel glared at him. 

Dean's sad expression swiftly morphed into a smirk. "Is that face the international code for 'shut up, dumbass?'" 

Gabriel nodded. 

"You know I'm still gonna ask about the outfit later, right?" Dean asked. 

He hoped his glare adequately projected the _fuck you_ he felt Dean was due. 

When Sam exhaled a little laugh and squeezed Gabriel's shoulder, Gabriel was sure at least one of the dynamic duo understood the point he was trying to make. 

"Here," Dean said. Smiling more than smirking, he held out a small, but long, package. As soon as Gabriel's fingers brushed the rune-decorated leather, he could feel the power of _his blade_ under the cloth. He looked up at Dean, who smiled. "You ready to blow this popsicle stand?" 

Sam's hand squeezed his shoulder again. The idea that he could have freedom again was as exciting as it was terrifying. He'd been at the mercy of an angel trying to be God, of humans trying to control forces they couldn't comprehend, and of the last prince who could claim an abandoned throne. He _needed_ to be in charge of his own destiny but the reminder that he could be snatched up at any time was too fresh and made him feel hesitant to step out on his own. 

"Hey," Sam said. "We're gonna get out of here together. You're not getting left behind." 

After a deep breath, Gabriel nodded and took his first step towards the end of his captivity.


End file.
